Proportional representation, explained
Proportional representation is an electoral system that elects multiple representatives in each district in proportion to the number of people who vote for them.
September 12, 2023
Research & Analysis
News & resources
Freedom is threatened by democracy crumbling from within. We use research, technology, and data analysis to protect what's working in our democracy today — and to help build the democracy of tomorrow.
How a proposed regulation protects the civil service from politicized attacks: A look at the Biden administration’s response to Schedule F
The Office of Personnel Management recently announced a proposed rule to reinforce protections for federal civil servants against Schedule F.
September 28, 2023
Punishing Corporate Expression: Distinguishing the Abuse of Government Power from Politics as Usual
This brief aims to better equip business leaders to identify when actual or threatened government action in response to corporate expression crosses the line.
September 15, 2023
Lessons from the history of proportional representation in America
In terms of PR, what matters is that majority coalitions can hold themselves together — be they single-party or alliances of parties.
September 13, 2023
How electoral reform happens
The experiences of New Zealand, Italy, and Japan provide a template, and show how reforming electoral systems can be a powerful way to address problems of parties, legitimacy, and democracy.
September 12, 2023
Proportional representation and gerrymandering
Proportional electoral systems largely eliminate both the built-in bias inherent to the single-seat model and the effects of partisan manipulation.
September 12, 2023
Proportional representation and presidentialism
A myth haunts conversations about proportional representation in America. It is the belief that proportional representation requires a parliamentary system. We’re here to kill this myth.
September 12, 2023
Proportional representation and polarization
With better representation and more equal weight given to citizens’ votes in elections, the zero-sum nature of politics could begin to change.
September 12, 2023
Proportional representation and political parties
Under PR, a party’s share of members in a legislature would roughly match its share of the vote in the last election, even for parties that only get 10 or 20 percent of the vote.
September 12, 2023
Proportional representation and the future of the Voting Rights Act
Proportional electoral systems present viable options for sustaining and building upon the gains in political representation that voters of color have achieved.
September 12, 2023
